Sir Keir Starmer has raised the prospect of Britain rejoining the EU in comments that could complicate Andy Burnham’s bid to return to Westminster in the Leave-supporting Makerfield by-election.
The Prime Minister said a debate on Brexit “might happen years down the line”, while Downing Street declined to rule out a future Labour pledge to rejoin the EU before the next election.
Speaking at the Great North summit in Leeds, Mr Burnham sought to distance himself from previous comments backing closer EU ties, saying: “I am not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU.
"I respect the decision that was made at the referendum and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don’t respect that vote.”
He added: “Britain will be stuck in a permanent rut if we’re just constantly arguing and people are pulling away from each other.”
The issue has become increasingly divisive within Labour after Wes Streeting said he hoped Britain would rejoin the EU “one day”, viewed as a subtle attempt to make Burnham's return to parliament more difficult.